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Continuing her hot streak on Netflix that includes Stranger Things and the Enola Holmes movies, Millie Bobby Brown is ready to slay dragons in the upcoming fantasy epic Damsel.

The streaming giant just released a teaser trailer for the action film that looks to be a badass ride that bucks the normal fairy tale convention of a damsel in distress as Brown proves that her princess will put up a fight to the end. Here’s everything we know about Damsel ahead of its Netflix release:

Plot

In Damsel, Brown plays Princess Elodie, a young woman who thinks she’s about to live a fairy tale dream of marrying a prince. Unfortunately, her story doesn’t go the way. Elodie is soon trapped in a cave with a dragon where Brown gets a chance to stretch her action-star muscles in an epic clash with a ferocious beast.

Here’s the official synopsis:

A dutiful damsel agrees to marry a handsome prince, only to find the royal family has recruited her as a sacrifice to repay an ancient debt. Thrown into a cave with a fire-breathing dragon, she must rely on her wits and will to survive.

Cast

Alongside Brown, Damsel also stars Robin Wright, Nick Robinson, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Ray Winstone, and Angela Bassett. Not much is known about their roles, but the latest trailer does reveal that Wright and Robinson play a Queen and Prince who lure Brown’s Princess Elodie to their kingdom only to toss her into the aforementioned dragon’s lair.

Release Date

While no specific release date has been announced yet, Damsel will arrive on Netflix some time in 2024.

Trailer

You can watch the teaser trailer for Damsel below:

Damsel arrives on Netflix in 2024.

Sometimes you must go outside your comfort zone to find the good stuff in whiskey. Trying new expressions, styles, and whiskey brands is a great way to both expand your palate and deepen your overall knowledge. And I’m here to help because I’ve already done all of that.I’ve done the work and can guide you to some really good bottles.

Over just the last three years, I’ve sampled around 5,000 whiskeys — that doesn’t include other spirits, beer, wine, and cocktails. In the process, I’ve become a respected whiskey critic and judge. And even with all of that, I’m still expanding my palate every single day. I’m trying new whiskeys every…single…day. It never ends. (Don’t cry for me, it’s not a bad gig.)

So when my editor asked me to have a fellow whiskey expert friend set up a blind to see if they could “confuse” my palate, I had a bit of a laugh. Why? Because I can usually spot a whiskey from about a mile away based on sight and smell alone. If I couldn’t… well, I wouldn’t deserve this gig. Still, I agreed to the premise.

Since I’m currently visiting Texas for a long weekend of distillery tours (see, it never ends), I had the head of single barrel picks for ReserveBar, Lee Diaz, pour me seven very random-ass whiskeys to see if I could call out what they are. I specifically asked for confusing pours that could trick me like, say, peated malts from different regions, MGP of Indiana bottles, and random single barrels, plus a classic or two thrown in for good measure.

The lineup included the following whiskey bottles:

• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Treaty Oak Single Barrel Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon Aged 5 Years Cask Strength
• New Riff Single Barrel Rye Kentucky Straight Whiskey
• Balcones Peated Texas Single Malt Whisky
• Nulu Straight Bourbon Whiskey Double Oaked Single Barrel Select Topflight Series
• Old Fourth Distillery Experimental Series Double Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Ruby Port
• Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Single Cask Selection Cask Collector’s Edition 2 Pedro Ximénez

Okay, let’s see how close I got to getting “confused” by these whiskeys. And just to be clear, I didn’t see these bottles before they were poured, so this is technically a “double-blind” tasting.

• The 100 Best Bourbon Whiskeys From Kentucky, Ranked
• The Absolute Best Bottle Of Whiskey From Each Of The 50 States
• The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons Under $100, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The ‘Smoothest’ Bourbons On The Market, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• The 100 Best Bourbons Under $100 Right Now, Ranked

Part 1 — The Random Whiskey Blind Tasting

Taste 1

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Classic notes of vanilla come through next to a dark syrup sweetness, a flourish of fresh mint, and raw leather that veers towards raw steak.

Palate: The palate cuts through the sweeter notes with plenty of spices — like clove and star anise — next to a hint of tart berries underneath it all.

Finish: The end is long, velvety, and delivers on the vanilla and spice that leads to a layer of earthy fall leaves with a hint of musty old brick barrelhouse on the very end.

My Guess:

I’d bet my children’s lives on this being Buffalo Trace Bourbon. First, the pale caramel color of a proofed-down whiskey is a big giveaway. Then the raw leather on the nose and earthy barrel house on the finish is a dead giveaway on the profile.

Taste 2

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose is tannic and a little dirty with a sense of light sweet grains (kind of like a sweetcorn porridge), dark fruit leather, and a touch of maltiness.

Palate: That bitter oak drives the palate with a clear sense of raw cornbread batter next to almost smoked plums and rum raisin.

Finish: The end has a sense of dank and dryness that’s almost bitter with a sense of chocolate and oak.

My Guess:

This is dark AF whiskey, so it’s a Texas whiskey. It’s maybe four or five years old since the grains are sweet and porridge-like and not fresh and wet. It’s not Balcones or Garrison Brothers because it’s not that refined (or good). I don’t know beyond it being a four to five-year-old Texas bourbon.

Taste 3

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Freshly cracked hazelnuts dominate the nose and lead to worn boot leather, old and slightly molded porch wicker, old clove, dark chocolate sauce, and a hint of red peppercorns.

Palate: The palate starts with hazelnut shells before diving into a deep matrix of dried roses, vanilla husks, allspice berries, clove buds, and a chili-chocolate sauce with a flake of salt and dusting of singed peanuts.

Finish: The end is lush thanks to the vanilla and just spicy enough thanks to the chili-chocolate and red peppercorns with plenty of soft hazelnut rounding things out.

My Guess:

This is a really f*cking good Kentucky rye. It’s unique, sweet, and full of profile notes that go beyond “spicy.” Generally, MGP’s 95/5 (rye/malted barley) is that dry grassy peppery rye that everyone knows. Kentucky rye has way more depth with fruity sweetness, nuttiness, and lushness. This is likely a single barrel from a smaller distiller so I’m going with either New Riff or maybe Castle & Key.

Taste 4

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose on this is clearly a deeply peated whisky with layers of caramel, teriyaki steak, smoked salmon bellies, and salted caramel drizzled over pound cake with a hint of almost burnt drip coffee.

Palate: The palate is lush with a sense of buttered vanilla apple cider with plenty of cinnamon next to brown sugar rock candy, honey-laced black tea, and a hint of winter spice cakes that give way to creamy eggnog full of allspice, nutmeg, and clove.

Finish: The tea takes on a powdered green tea vibe with a lot more of that eggnog spice before hitting a smoked green chili vibe at the very end with hints of smoldering cedar bark and smudging sage.

My Guess:

This is peated but very clearly an American peated malt (the vanilla, apple cider, and spices are a dead giveaway). Then that green tea note hits and this is clearly a Balcones malt.

Taste 5

Tasting Notes:

Nose: Peanut brittle and chocolate cream with a hint of Black Forest cake and Honeynut Graham Crackers mingle on the nose.

Palate: Plenty of vanilla, Nutella, and Cinnamon Toast Crunch drive the palate toward hints of winter spice barks and light sweet fruitiness that’s part overripe banana and part dark cherry.

Finish: The finish takes on a bananas foster vibe with plenty of allspice and clove next to more vanilla, caramel, and a touch of oakiness.

My Guess:

This is pretty standard bourbon. It’s probably a Kentucky bottler aiming for a Kentucky vibe with MGP of Indiana whiskey. That could be about a million different brands at this point (I’m only half joking).

Taste 6

Tasting Notes:

Nose: There’s a light sense of nutshells on the nose with hints of dark chocolate, dark cherry, and dark Graham Cracker with a hint of honey.

Palate: Nutella over cinnamon toast with a dash of dark cherry jam, vanilla sheet cake, and winter spice drive the palate to hints of figs and dates.

Finish: Those spices kick up some heat on the finish with plenty of oaky vanilla and cherry with a touch of white grits cut with butter and brown sugar.

My Guess:

This is extremely close to the last pour. The finish is different though. So I’m going with this being a small-time bottler using MGP juice but finishing it in maybe port of PX sherry barrels. And that could be one of thousands of brands out there across this nation of ours.

Taste 7

Tasting Notes:

Nose: The nose opens with this deep and fatty smoked pastrami vibe with deep pickled herbs, spices, and botanicals next to a whiff of sea salt air, deep dark dried fruits — dates, figs, prunes — with a sense of spiced mulled wine and Christmas cakes brimming with roasted almonds, candied citrus, and tons of dark spice with a sweet edge.

Palate: The peat kicks up something fierce on the palate with a fresh Ace Bandage vibe that gives way to a sense of seafood chowder on a cold and rainy day before layers of smoked plums and smoldering cinnamon bark lashes the profile with warmth, spice, and sweetness with a dash of tarmac on a hot day sneaking in late.

Finish: The pastrami circles back on the finish with fatty smoked meat vibes countered by plenty of sea salt, smoldering spice barks, and Christmas pies with a lush sense of stewed red fruits and bright pear brandy with a fleeting sense of mulled wine cut with butter on the very end.

My Guess:

First of all, this is the best whiskey on the panel by a country mile. Second, this is clearly an Islay peat monster. It’s too hefty to be a Bowmore, Lagavulin, Kilchoman, Caol Ila, or Bunnhabain. That only leaves Bruichladdich, Ardbeg, and Laphroaig. It’s not a Bruichladdich, it’s too subtle for that.

The deep and amazingly funky pickled profile with a sense of Ace Bandages, tarmac, and seaside only points to Laphroaig. And it’s a great Laphroiag with, I’m guessing a PX sherry finish thanks to all that smoked dark fruit and mulled wine vibes. Bandage, sea salt, and asphalt are the foundations of Laphroaig, folks. (Ardbeg tends to be more ashtrays and old rope)

Part 2 — The Random Whiskey Ranking

7. Nulu Straight Bourbon Whiskey Double Oaked Single Barrel Select Topflight Series — Taste 5

ABV: 57.4%

Average Price: $107

The Whiskey:

This Louisville bottler leans on MGP of Indiana whiskey for mostly single-barrel bottlings in Kentucky. In this case, they pulled in MGP’s double oak aged whiskey and let it rest in their barrelhouse in Louisville before bottling.

Bottom Line:

Nailed it! MGP whiskey by a Kentucky bottler was my guess. That aside, this is perfectly fine bourbon. At $100 per bottle, it’s outrageous though. Get two Wild Turkey Rare Breeds for $50.

6. Treaty Oak Single Barrel Ghost Hill Texas Bourbon Aged 5 Years Cask Strength — Taste 2

ABV: 59.85%

Average Price: $60

The Whiskey:

This small craft distillery in Texas has been distilling and bottling locally-made grain-to-glass whiskey, vodka, and gin for almost two decades. The whiskey in this bottle is hewn from local heirloom grains (57% corn, 32% wheat, and 11% malted barley) that are fermented in the Texas Hill Country before distillation and aging. After five years, the whiskey was selected and bottled as a single barrel at cask strength.

Bottom Line:

The dark look of this one gave it away as a Texas whiskey immediately. I wouldn’t have bullseye’d it being Treaty Oak simply because it wasn’t that distinct. Overall, this was a pretty bold whiskey with a lot of oak and feels like it’d be a fine sipper over a lot of ice.

5. Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — Taste 1

ABV: 45%

Average Price: $25

The Whiskey:

This is the whiskey that heralded a new era of bourbon in 1999. Famed Master Distiller Elmer T. Lee came out of retirement to create this bourbon to celebrate the renaming of the George T. Stagg distillery to Buffalo Trace when Sazerac bought the joint. The rest, as they say, is history — especially since this has become a touchstone bourbon for the brand.

Bottom Line:

This was so clearly Buffalo Trace Bourbon from the jump that there’s not much more to say. Use this for your favorite whiskey-forward cocktails.

4. Old Fourth Distillery Experimental Series Double Cask Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Ruby Port — Taste 6

ABV: 56%

Average Price: $124

The Whiskey:

This Georgia bottler uses MGP of Indiana whiskey. They transported the barrels down to Georgia where this whiskey was re-casked into Ruby Port casks for an additional 1 year and 10 months of aging before batching and bottling 100% as-is.

Bottom Line:

Again, this was fine. I certainly called it as a specially finished MGP. I wouldn’t have guessed it was bottled in Georgia. But that’s almost incidental to what’s actually in the bottle.

Overall, this was nice. But that price tag is, again, outrageous. You can almost get three bottles of Michter’s Small Batch Bourbon for that price.

3. New Riff Single Barrel Rye Kentucky Straight Whiskey — Taste 3

ABV: 53.75%

Average Price: $55

The Whiskey:

This whiskey from New Riff is a unique take on the style. The juice in the bottle is 100% American rye made with 95% classic rye and 5% malted rye. That mash is fermented and distilled before resting for several years in new oak. Once a single barrel hits the perfect spot, it’s bottled as-is one barrel at a time.

Bottom Line:

The 100% rye mash bill with a malted rye aspect gives this a mighty grass, herbal, and funky vibe that’s unique to any other rye out there. It’s also delicious. There are really only three or four distilleries doing that in Kentucky and only really two doing that this well. In this case, it was New Riff but Castle & Key’s rye is right there too.

In the end, this is a great sipper to have on hand to expand your rye whiskey knowledge and palate.

2. Balcones Peated Texas Single Malt Whisky — Taste 4

ABV: 59%

Average Price: $85

The Whiskey:

This peated Texas Single Malt Whisky is made with classic peated Scottish malts. The distillery imports very high-grade and heavily peated malts into Texas from Islay. They then ferment the mash and distill the whisky in Waco, Texas, before letting the whisky rest in their hot warehouses for a few years. The barrels are then batched to highlight the best of Scottish peated malt with the Texas distilleries signature profile.

Bottom Line:

No one is doing whisky like this in America besides Balcones. No one is really doing peated malt in America as well as Balcones either. So this was a super easy whisky to spot from a million miles away. Overall, this is a delicious example of how good American peated malt whisky can be. Pour this over one big rock, sip it slowly, and you’ll be in for a delicious treat.

1. Laphroaig Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky Single Cask Selection Cask Collector’s Edition 2 Pedro Ximénez — Taste 7

ABV: 60.4%

Average Price: $249

The Whiskey:

This brand-new edition of Laphroaig is part of the exclusive Cask Collectors series. In this case, a single cask of funky Laphroaig rested in Pedro Ximénez sherry hogshead casks (slightly larger than an average barrel). That whisky was bottled 100% as-is without proofing to highlight the beauty of the single cask of whisky.

Bottom Line:

First and foremost, this is a phenomenal pour of whisky. It’s a damn near perfect peated sipper as a neat pour and really shines over a single large cube. All of that aside, Laphroaig is so distinct as a brand that this was easy AF to nail in a double-blind tasting. Hell, I was even able to nail it as a PX sherry cask.

Part 3 — Final Thoughts on the Random Whiskeys

Luckily, nothing confused me on this panel. As mentioned above, that would have been super embarrassing. My editor swears he can confuse me but… we shall see.

What to keep in mind when building a palate and whiskey education is to find the nuance that makes a certain whiskey what it is. Every style, brand, and expression has something that makes it individual (to a degree). You have to build a catalog of those flavors, nuances, and textures to really know whiskey in a deep sense. Then you have to continually expand that catalog pretty much every single day of your life (I haven’t had a weekend off from tasting whiskey in, like… years).

When it comes to which of these whiskeys you should add to your collection, focus on the top three in the ranking. Yes, the Laphroaig is expensive but it’s a single bottling of a miracle cask. That’s worth the money. And since the Balcones and New Riff are local, the prices are fair for the beautiful whiskeys in those bottles.

The Clippers lost their fifth straight game on Sunday afternoon when the 1-8 Grizzlies were able to out-execute them down the stretch to pull off a 105-101 win. With the loss, they moved to 0-4 with James Harden in the lineup, and once again their offense was painful to watch as their four former MVP candidates all tried not to step on each other’s toes.

With Harden on the floor on Sunday, the Clippers were an impossibly bad -28 in a game they lost by four, and since his arrival in L.A. the Clippers boast a -25.8 net rating in lineups with Harden. Tyronn Lue’s message to Harden was to be himself and let the Clippers adapt to him, but that didn’t flip a switch against Memphis as many of the same issues persisted.

Every time there’s a new star combination, we wonder who will sacrifice, who will take the lead, and how to best maximize everyone’s skill level. With Paul George and Kawhi Leonard, there was never a question of how that dynamic would work out, as George was happy to raise his hand and say he would be the second option. When they’ve been healthy and shared the floor together, that agreement has worked well for the Clippers. However, with Harden in tow, the arrangement is changing in real time and no one seems quite sure how it all should work.

This is where dragging the trade talks out into the season has hurt L.A., as these are the kinds of things you need to work out in offseason workouts and training camp. While I think some of the same issues would persist, there would at least be a better understanding from their stars of where everyone likes to operate and how to at least try to get the ball to their teammates in their preferred spots. Instead, they’re spending precious time during the season figuring out each other and it’s clear that the learning curve is much steeper than anticipated.

The first sign the Harden experiment in L.A. might not work smoothly came in his introductory press conference, when he insisted he was boxed in by the Sixers and not allowed to play to his best abilities. His exact words were “I’m not a system player, I am a system.”

That sentence should have set off some alarm bells for the Clippers, because if he wasn’t happy fitting in with Joel Embiid (who won MVP last year) and the Sixers, why would that change with Kawhi Leonard, Paul George, and Russell Westbrook in Los Angeles. Harden was legitimately good in Philadelphia and won them a couple of playoff games with his play last year, but his ability to consistently carry a team has diminished as he’s gotten older and dealt with various injuries. In theory, he’s the kind of star that should work well with others given his skillset, his passing acumen, and his shooting ability, but the problem comes with his preference to operate at his own cadence.

His propensity to pass up catch-and-shoot opportunities to try and create off the bounce has already been notable with the Clippers, and it will likely be the biggest hurdle to making this entire operation work offensively. Even when he played with Chris Paul and Russell Westbrook in Houston, he was not always an active threat to shoot the ball while spacing the floor, often stationing himself well away from the three-point line as a release valve to start his own action. In L.A., he’s taken some catch-and-shoot threes and seemingly tried to be a bit more engaged off the ball, but will only let them fly when wide open. His belief in his creation ability works against him when defenders close out on him, because he looks to attack those closeouts off the bounce and defenders are often settling in front of him knowing this rather than flying by.

This gets to the second issue, which is that Harden is one of the best passers in basketball when it comes to creating shots for others, but he is not a connective passer in any way. His passes almost always have the purpose of leading to a shot and rarely come in service of continued action and ball movement. He wants to survey the defense and methodically pick it apart, but that only works when, one, the rest of the team is on the same page and, two, he is given full control to operate the offense. The first issue can be resolved with more time together, but the second is much murkier.

The real problem with the Harden system working in L.A. is they have someone who wants to operate in a similar fashion, particularly late in the game, but is better at it (at this point) in Kawhi Leonard. While Kawhi has become a very good spot up shooter, when push comes to shove, he wants the ball in his hands to make decisions and wants the rest of the team playing in his orbit. To do as Ty Lue says and adapt to Harden, the Clippers will need to take the ball out of Leonard’s (and George’s) hands more often — and likely become even more of a “your turn, my turn” offense. That’s an issue that’s already caused some problems for L.A., as their offense already had a tendency to slow up and could get stuck in the mud late in games, and Harden’s presence only exacerbates those problems.

Since Harden’s arrival, the Clippers pace has dropped off considerably (a full four possessions per game) and no one is moving with confidence or comfortability in the halfcourt. Time together will certainly help, as will some inevitable positive shooting progression from three, but L.A. faces a real crisis of identity with the Harden acquisition. He is right when he said he is a system and has never been happy being just a cog in the wheel. The problem is that only works when he’s the best on-ball option on the team. That isn’t the case in L.A., and the Clippers already have a system. His name is Kawhi Leonard.

In theory, the two could help each other, but Harden seems almost determined in the early going to prove he just doesn’t work as a complementary player. Ty Lue has responded by saying the Clippers need to play through Harden and adapt to him.

That’s exactly what Harden wants and will probably bring his level up, but it also requires two better players (at this point of their careers) to be the ones doing the adapting and sacrificing. Therein lies the fundamental problem with the Harden system in Los Angeles. While it won’t be this bad all season, there is likely a ceiling on how successful this all can be.

Donald Trump’s main campaign strategy as of late has been body-shaming his Republican presidential rivals. He was previously obsessed with former Governor Chris Christie’s bulky physique but, as of late, it’s Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who has caught his eye.

During a stump speech in New Hampshire over the weekend, Trump spent an inordinate amount of time theorizing about DeSantis’s height. Plenty of critics have speculated that the governor, who clocks in somewhere around 5 ft 11 in, has been wearing lifts in his shoes during public debates. Keen-eyed observers have even taken to Twitter to share videos of DeSantis struggling to walk comfortably during town hall talks.

But Trump took it to a whole new level, mocking DeSantis’ strange gait with a screwball impression in front of a pro-MAGA crowd.

“And I’m not wearing lifts, either, by the way,” Trump said while poking fun at DeSantis.

“I don’t have six-inch heels. Actually, the greatest moment of the debate was when Ron was walking – or Ron DeSanctimonious was walking – off the stage and his feet,” he continued, pretending to lose his balance as his arms flailed wildly. “He’s walking off stage like he’s trying to balance himself. I thought he was wearing ice skates.”

Trump spent the rest of his speech threatening tougher death penalty verdicts for drug dealers, confusing Obama for Biden, accusing Democrats of rigging elections, and praising the “look, strength, and voice” of Chinese Xi Jinping. But it was his terrible stand-up routine that will likely bother entrenched GOP members the most.

(WARNING: Spoilers for the most recent Power Book IV: Force episode will be found below.)

STARZ recently concluded the second season of Power Book IV: Force, one of three spin-offs birthed from the original Power Universe. In the show’s latest season, there was a small group of characters who were brought on to the show to add to its storyline. One of them was Mireya Garcia who played the role of Tommy Egan’s new love interest. She is also the younger sibling of Miguel Garcia, who was also new to season two as one of Tommy Egan’s main competitors in the Chicago drug game. In the end, Mireya was one of the standout characters in Power Book IV: Force season two and fans are excited for her return in season three.

Who Plays Mireya Garcia On Power Book IV: Force?

Mireya Garcia is played by Carmela Zumbado whose acting career dates back to 2011. Since then, she’s landed roles in TV shows like NCIS: New Orleans, NCIS: Los Angeles, Chicago P.D., Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, and the recent iCarly reboot. She most notably played the main role of Delilah Alves on Netflix’s You where she appeared in all 10 episodes in season two. Zumbado has also appeared in movies that include 2 Minutes Of Fame, Run Sweetheart Run, Hot Seat, and The Wall of Mexico.

During a recent interview with Uproxx, Joseph Sikora, who played the role of Tommy Egan, praised Zumbado for her portrayal of Mireya Garcia. “Let’s give Carmela Zumbado some love too,” he said. “What a wonderful portrayal of Mireya she’s had, I think that she’s wonderfully shown this inner conflict that she had to be with Tommy. It’s always like, ‘No, but I can’t help it.’ I think that that’s very relatable to us as human beings.”

‘Power Book IV: Force’ season two is now available to stream on STARZ.

There were rumors that Euphoria star (and next great Elvis impersonator) Jacob Elordi was in the running to be the latest incarnation of Superman, and by “rumors” I mean a few fans really wanted to make it happen, so much that James Gunn had to get involved. But it never happened. We did get this, though.

While Elordi never got the gig (who knows if that movie will even see the light of day), the actor confirmed that he was actually asked to read for the part, but he wasn’t really into it. “Well, they asked me to read for Superman,” Elordi told GQ in a new interview. While taking on the famous superhero seems like it would be a dream to some young actors, Elordi thought that playing the superhero was too much. “That was immediately, ‘No, thank you.’ That’s too much. That’s too dark for me,” he explained.

Elordi is known for his role on Euporhia and has been gaining recognition for his portrayal of Elvis in Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla, but he would much rather play the King than Clark Kent. When asked if he has any desire to star in a superhero film, he replied, “Not particularly, no. I’ve always been told to say a rounded answer or my agent will get mad at me. ‘Anything can happen!’ And obviously, anything can happen, but at this stage in my life, I don’t see myself having any interest in that.”

Instead, Elordi says he would “like to make what I would watch,” so we may never get that third season of Euphoria after all. Unless he really likes Nate Jacobs.

When it comes to making (or shaking) a good martini, there are endless factors that affect quality — gin vs. vodka, measurement amounts of dry vermouth, type of olives, addition of olive brine, the quality of ice and so much more can make or break a martini. But today, I want to dial it all back to the simplest terms — dry gin, dry vermouth, good ice, and a touch of lemon oils.

Even more specifically, I want to talk about the real foundational piece of the cocktail: the gin. And I think I’ve found the best of them all. Or the “best American gin for a martini” at the very least.

Farmer’s Botanical Organic Gin is the gin I keep going back to again and again when I want a delicious, clean, and deeply flavored martini. I know “clean” sounds a little dubious when talking about martinis. It’s kind of like saying “smooth” where all the character is sanded away. This gin is not that though. Think of “clean” more as a clear sense of the spirit and all its botanicals without overly sweet additives or muddled flavor notes.

Farmer’s Botanical Organic Gin (which has been around for a couple of years now in its current form) is so clean (as in “direct”) yet deeply flavored that you can sip it neat and find layer after layer of pure enjoyment. The juniper is there but far more back-dialed (compared to a London dry gin), with a nice medley of elderflower, hemp seed, lemongrass, coriander, rose, angelica root (for texture), and several other mild yet delicious botanicals.

It all adds up to a great gin martini base. Possibly “the best” — at least among American gins. If that sounds good, keep reading to see how you can make our new favorite gin martini this weekend at home!

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Farmer’s Organic Gin Martini

Ingredients:

• 3 oz. Farmer’s Orangic Gin
• 0.5 oz. dry vermouth
• Lemon peel (for oils)
• Ice

In this case, you want to grab a bottle of Farmer’s Gin. Luckily, it’s readily available at most good liquor stores. I’m also using Foro Dry Vermouth as it has a soft floral vibe that works as a great counterpoint to the gentle botanicals of the gin.

What You’ll Need:

• Coupe, cocktail glass, or Nick and Nora
• Cocktail mixing glass
• Cocktail strainer
• Barspoon
• Jigger
• Pairing knife

Method:

• Prechill the glass, mixing glass, barspoon, and jigger in the freezer overnight. Prechill the gin and vermouth in the fridge overnight.
• Fetch all ingredients from the freezer/fridge when ready to make the cocktail. Add the gin and vermouth to the mixing glass and add a handful of ice. Mix with the barspoon for 30 spins, or about 30 seconds. The ice should just start to dilute the cocktail.
• Strain the cocktail into the frozen glass. Express the lemon oils over the glass and rub around the rim and stem. Discard lemon peel and serve.

Bottom Line:

Yeah, this is so good. The gin is the star of the show with a clean and very chilled vibe that speaks to really good botanicals with a slight woodiness next to dry florals and a delicate bitterness. I know that feels like a lot of buzzy words. But it’s real. This is quintessential — the martini that you stir up when you want to introduce someone to the brilliance of the drink.

Sometimes the best new R&B can be hard to find, but there are plenty of great rhythm-and-blues tunes to get into if you have the time to sift through the hundreds of newly released songs every week. So that R&B heads can focus on listening to what they really love in its true form, we’ll be offering a digest of the best new R&B songs that fans of the genre should hear every Friday.

Since the last update of this weekly R&B column, we’ve received plenty of music and news from the genre’s artists.

Grammy nominations were revealed and acts like Victoria Monét, Coco Jones, and SZA led the way in the R&B categories. Frank Ocean previewed new music for the first time in two years and Beyoncé shared another trailer for her Renaissance: A Film By Beyoncé. Jennifer Hudson sparked dating rumors with Common while Halle Bailey revealed that she’s in the studio working with Missy Elliott. Elsewhere, SZA was announced as one of the headliners for Lollapalooza’s Brazil, Argentina, and Chile festivals, New Edition announced their Las Vegas residency.

Here are some more releases on the new music front that you should check out:

BJ The Chicago Kid — Gravy

BJ The Chicago Kid is back on the scene with his third album Gravy, his first full-length project since 2019 made in collaboration with producer Yetti Beats. Through 15 songs with features from Coco Jones, Chloe Bailey, Freddie Gibbs, Robert Glasper, and more, BJ’s third album is one he says is “the persona of what the new cool is.” He adds, “It’s that feeling when you’re at your absolute best, got on your best clothes, exuding confidence in every step and word.”

Roy Woods — “4am”

Months after sharing his long-awaited Mixed Emotions album, Roy Woods checks back in with this new single “4am.” The new track is dedicated to a friend of Woods’ who passed away. Woods takes listeners on a journey through his life, music, and relationships, and even when the future seemed uncertain, Woods managed to press onward through it all.

Luh Kel — Head Melodies

Three years after releasing L.O.V.E., St. Louis singer Luh Kel returns with his new album Head Melodies. The project bares 16 songs to its name as well as a sole feature from A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie.

Genia — “Dear Life”

With 4PM In The Ville on the way, 22-year-old Victorville, California singer Genia shares the second single from the project with “Dear Life.” It’s a poignant and bold release that rips with emotions as does the electric guitar that blares throughout the song. “I feel like I make music for everybody,” Genia said about her music. “But mainly for women to feel badass. I wanna feel like I have the power.”

Rosemarie — Rock Paper Scissors: Recut

Six months after the project’s original release, LA singer Rosemarie breathes new lives in Rock Paper Scissors with a Recut edition. Four more songs are added to the project including “Is It Real?” with Roddy Ricch and “Drop Me” with Kalan.FrFr. Of the former, Rosemarie said, “Our artistry as individuals is boundless — and to me, this song is a beautiful intersection of them both.”

Obai — “Girls Like You”

17-year-old Pheonix singer Obai is looking to become a star in the R&B world and his latest track “Girls Like You” is proof of his talents. The bubbly record accounts for Obai’s tendency to fall for girls who are the life of the party and ones who enjoy an extravagant life filled with flights, shopping sprees, and more.

Eric IV — “Hennessy” Feat. Blxst

North London singer Eric IV is back with his sweet melodies through his new single “Hennessy” with Blxst. Together, the artists deliver a record that’s focused on the fun moments during a night out on the town and what happens once the drinks are poured and consumed by the people around them, especially the ladies.

Teo Glacier — “Who Do You Love?”

New Zealand-born singer Teo Glacier continues to shine in his first year with Capitol Records and his latest single “Who Do You Love” is proof of that. The new track is dedicated to a special someone in Glacier’s life who can’t seem to make up their mind about a potential relationship. Glacier reminds the woman in question about their past and asks her to make a long-awaited decision about their future.

Odeal — “Fine By Myself”

With a voice that’s a blend reminiscent of Brent Faiyaz and Giveon, London singer Odeal arrives with his sweet new single “Fine By Myself.” The smooth jam is one that Odeal uses to reclaim and restate his independence to a new lover who is seemingly out of the picture now. “Fine by myself,” he sings. “Before you came I didn’t need nobody.”

Kareen Lomax — “Self Care”

Kareen Lomax’s last releases came back in 2021 with her Hard Feelings album and collaborations with the likes of Diplo and Aluna. Now, in 2023, she’s back with “Self Care.” The vibrant is one she uses to advocate for herself and the need to sometimes be selfish toward the things that are most important to her.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

Taylor Swift is everywhere. She’s at the top of the Billboard charts (even above The Beatles), her concert film is breaking box office records, and wherever she goes, including Kansas City Chiefs games to cheer on her rumored boyfriend Travis Kelce, massive crowds follow. Swift is omnipresent, and a husband had a good-natured response to his wife’s frequent mentions of the pop star.

Dan Rice went viral for creating a “Taylor Swift Jar” for his wife, Dana, who shared the video on Instagram. “Any mention of T. Swift and you owe $0.25. I can’t take it anymore,” the jar reads. “Travis Kelce included.”

Dana told People that she’s “always been a sing-along kind of Taylor Swift fan,” but the Ticketmaster-breaking hoopla surrounding the Eras Tour intensified her fandom. “It wasn’t until I read comments from non-music industry leaders talking about her tour last spring that I realized I should learn a little more about this person,” she explained. “There is so much Taylor Swift ‘lore’ that once you start, you can’t seem to stop consuming it.”

Dana is especially smitten by Swift and Kelce’s romance. “The public narrative of two superstars finding each other — whether a brief amount of time or a lifetime — will always captivate,” the Maryland resident said. “Who isn’t drawn to [a] fairytale with [a] Hollywood ending?”

Dan better spend the money on an Eras Tour ticket for his wife.

Fans hoping to watch Sofia Coppola’s Priscilla — aka the movie that tasked Euphoria star Jacob Elordi with eating a truly concerning amount of burnt bacon — are in for a bit of bad news. You’re going to have to wait a while to binge the A24 rock-n-roll biopic at home.

The film, based on Priscilla Presley’s 1985 memoir Elvis and Me, follows 14-year-old Priscilla Beaulieu’s (Cailee Spaeny) whirlwind romance with the 24-year-old burgeoning King of Rock-n-Roll. It’s a rare look at their rocky love story, focusing on Priscilla’s struggle to survive in the shadow of her much older and more famous husband. The film hit theaters on November 3rd, finishing its opening weekend in the box office top five but it will likely keep showing through the end of the year as it makes its Oscar run.

When Priscilla does land on streaming — probably in January 2024 — it could live on any number of platforms, including Netflix, Apple TV+, or Max. But, because A24 had a streaming distribution deal with Showtime (now on Paramount+) our best bet is that you’ll find it there. As for when Priscilla will be available to buy or rent digitally, expect that announcement to come before the end of the year.

(Via Marie Claire)